Fur treating composition and process of making same



Patented Aug. 4, 1 931:

JOHN E. AWAD, F. NEWARK, NEW JERSEY No Drawing. Application filed June 13,

This invention relates, generally, to fur treating compositions; and the invention has reference, more particularly, to a novel f'ur treating or carroting composition that is especially adapted for treating fur in preparation for the manufacture of felt therefrom.

Fur or'similar material as it comes from the animal is not suitable for immediate use 7 in the manufacture of felt owing to the anito effect such interlocking and working together of the fibres it is essential to remove the grease and other foreign matter adher ing to them so that their barbs are exposed for engaging one another in interlocked relation.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a novel fur treating or carroting composition that is adapted to quickly and thoroughly remove grease and other foreign matter from fur and the like preparatory to the manufacture of felt therefrom, while at the same time rendering the individual fur fibres tough, pliable and of attractive appearance;

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of a novel composition of the above character that is readily and easily compounded and, which is highly efiicient' and satisfactory as well as substantially free from objectionable or harmful characteristics in use,'and which enables are-latively low grade of raw material to be finished so as to produce felted articles of high quality.

' Other objects of this invention not at this time more particularly enumerated, will be clearly understood from the following detailed description of the same.

"Accordin to the preferred form of the invention, 31c novel carroting composition comprises a solution of nitric acid and merrun TREATING comrosrrron AND rnocnss OF MAKING sum 1929. Serial No. 370,731;

cury to which is added ammonium hydroxide solution in such manner and in such quantity as'to produce a resulting fur cleansing and purifying composition that is free from obectionable strong acid or basic reactions when applied to fur and the like and which quickly and suiiiciently cleanses and conditions the same without disintegrating the material of the fur and which gives the fur a high gloss and especially adapts the same to take and retain dyes. Also, owing to the neutralizing action of the ammonium hydroxide solution upon' the acid solution of mercury, the novel carroting composition of this invention will not give ofipoisonous or objectionable vapors during the processesinvolved in the manufacture of the felt or in tihe formation of articles, such as hats thererom. i

As an example of the composition of this" invention, the ingredients are mixed together in the following proportions-by weight Parts Nitric acid (40 Baum solution) Mercury 16 Ammonium hydroxide solution (1 4% ainmonia) The preferred manner of preparing the composition is as follows v To a five pound, 40 Baum solution of nitric acid is added one pound of metallic mercury. The mercury is mixed into-the nitric acid solution and the resulting mix-.

ture is allowed to stand from 24 to 144 hours depending upon the rapidity of the reaction taking place between'the nitric acid and mercury which reaction results in the combining of the mercury with the acid solution to form essentially nitrates of mercur To the resulting liquid mixture is then ad ed one ounce of ammonium hydroxide (14% ammonia and 86% water).

The ammonium hydroxide ingredient or content listed in the above table is approximate only and may be varied within reasonable limits owing to the varying strengths of commercial ammonia in water solutions as purchased on the market. Thus when using strong commercial solutions of'ammonia in water or ammonium hydroxide, it will be found that one-half ounce of ammonium 'hydroxide will be sufiicient in mak' ing up the above mixture; greater uantities of-ammonium h d cordance with the weakness of the ammonium hydroxide solution of the cloudiness of the mercury-acid mixture. Thus, desirable results are obtained when. an ammonium hyt' r1 3 to20 droxlde Ion conta'lmng rom plus water in sufficient quantlty to cause the of ammonia and 87 to 80% of, water is used.

1 Inthis case, the ammonium'hydroxide inedient of the above formula may be varied rom one quarter to one and one-half parts 15 depending'on the strength of ammonium hydroxide solution.

Satisfactory results cannot ordinaril be obtained by pouring the ammonium hy rox-- -.ide solution into the mercury-acid mixture and it ,is necessa that the ammonium hydroxide solution ge introduced from below the liquid surface. of the mercury-acid mixture. If desired, the ammonium hydroxide solution could be introduced into the mer- 5 cury-acid container bymeans of a suitable pipe or conduit having its inlet positioned ow the liquid surface level.

rox ide' being nee ed in acthis l lth day oi June,

, 3*. A fur' treating composition resulting from the mixture ofthe hereinnamed' inredients in-the approximate proportions as ollows: 1

Parts Nitric acid (40 Baum solution) 80 Mercury 16 Ammonium hydroxide solution (14% ammonia) composition to have a specific gravity of substantially 12 Baum.

In testimony, that I claim the invention set forth above. I have hereunto set my hand JOHN E. AWAD.'

While there is given above an illustrative 4 table of relative proportions of the several "ac-ingredients of the composition, it will be understood that variation of the stated pro-1 portions may bemade within reasonable limits. has been inted out, the quantity of ammonium hy roxide solution may be r 35 varied within rather wide limits depending upon the strength of the ammonia in water.

solution and the cloudiness of'the mercuryacid mixture. Also, by increasing the relative proportion of acid while keeping the remaining constituents the same the reaction between the mercury and acid is speeded up and the final carroting composition is of greater penetrating quality. Chan es in the V mercury ingredientwithin reasona 1e limits .5 may be also made 'while still attaining the purpose and function of the composition f within the scope and spirit of this invention.

. j What is claimed is 1 'Alfur treating composition for remov mg the foreign matter from fur fibres and the likepreparatory to feltihg comprising asolution resulting from the admixture of mum hydroxide.

' 2..A"fu'r treating- 1 a majorproportion of nitricacid, a lesser.

composition I f rem. the mixture of the"v herein named ing r edients' in the s r i 'p p t bns as co ,iollows: I

HQ d (40 Baum solution) :80- Mercu 1/ a 16 A ni m hydroxide solution 14% n6 ammoma)-' 1 

